Do you pray to Mary?

Question

I was raised as a Roman Catholic. Recently, I have been reading the Bible in my free time and looking at what some of the other Christian denominations believe and also a bit more of The Catholic faith. After a while, I began to call my self strictly a Christian and less of a Catholic. not that I do not love the Catholic faith, I just do not find God within some of their doctor one and man made teachings. I rely mostly on the Bible. BUT there is a problem I have come across that I need some other people's opinions on. A lot of the Protestant, Evangelical, and Non-Denominational Christian Churches forbid praying to Mary. While I currently bordering on Catholic and other Christian denominations, O just do not feel as if I could simply stop honoring Mary. I have prayed with her and asked her to intercede to Jesus so that he could hear my prayers. What are some of your practices and or beliefs?

Answer 1

Wow. Well, the Protestants say that Mary was holy, that she was as perfect as a human could be, and so, was selected by God to be the Mother of the Savior. BUT then, questions like this come up, and suddenly Mary is just a woman like any other, nothing special about her.

However, Catholics do not pray to Mary, they venerate her, yes, and study the mysteries of her life and the miracles that happened to her. (the Hail Mary) through that prayer they attempt to align their own lives with her essential grace. I don't see how that could be a bad thing. Are you faithful enough to be chosen by God to save the whole world? Couldn't you do better if you had a good role model?



Aside from that, I don't see the harm in asking a mother to counsel her son on the choices, ESPECIALLY the hard choices, he must make.



In the end, if you are uncomfortable with praying to Mary, then just don't do it. Leave those who find it soothing to their own beliefs.



Edit: I see that "she was without sin" is not what Protestants believe about Mary after all. Hmm. What then to make of the verse "And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" or "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.' It is good to know that the average Protestant has such a good grasp of the stories in the Bible. Way to go.

Answer 2

Do You Pray to Mary ? No so what is the Effectiveness stats Perhaps one should keep a record of what you ask for then if it happened and what HUMAN action actually brought a result so Say you wanted a Job did humans to actions to make it happen yourself a good connection with another human and how many times what you asked for did not happen so If you wanted a job did Mary or god or Jesus directly speak to your potential boss and say Hire Betty ? One might want to consider the REALITY of the practice since one is in a questioning position

Answer 3

No. I am a nondenominational Christian. I believe that Mary was a very special human being, as God chose her to give birth to his Son, but she's just that, human. I believe she sinned just like the rest of us, since I believe that Jesus is the only sinless human (because he is God and man combined). What I interpreted from the Bible was that I should pray to Jesus. (I believe in the Trinity, so when I pray I feel I am talking to Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit). I have a very personal relationship with God (all three aspects of Him) and prayer, reading the Word, and worship are the ways to keep that relationship strong. I would feel wrong praying to someone other than God, just as I would feel wrong revereing a book that wasn't the Bible or praising someone else.

Answer 4

I am a Baptist (a section of Protestant Christianity) and I pray to God, not Mary. The reasoning behind that is that if you pray to Mary, it seems as if you are idolizing her. She was the mother of Jesus, yes, but she is still human. I feel that prayer should only be reserved for God. You can respect her and see her as a role model of how to be a good Christian, but I personally feel that praying to her may be taking it a step too far?

Answer 5

Of course I pray to Mary. She is alive in heaven and still part of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12). It would be wrong to ignore here. The Communion of Saints is a gift given to us by God - that together those here on earth and those in heaven are one family. God does not separate His body into two parts (some in heaven and some on earth). And Mary is going to continue to help us and pray for us while she is in heaven because that is what her Son, Jesus Christ, told her to do.



A word of warning - if you "rely on the Bible" the reality is that you're relying on YOUR OPINION of what the Bible says not just the Bible. Jesus did not leave us with a Bible or even a list of texts that should be included in the Bible - He left us with a visible church. It is through Sacred Tradition that we even know which ancient texts should be included in the Bible. You might be interested in this article "What Is Sacred Tradition" by Mark Shea: http://www.mark-shea.com/tradition.html



Also a helpful website - "Catholic Evangelical Bridge" - http://catholicbridge.com/catholic/



Too many people leave the Catholic Church with no real understanding of the doctrines or teachings, so consider taking the time to make sure that you have a good understanding of Catholic theology before you claim it's full of "man made traditions".

Answer 6

I only pray to God. He is the only one I truly believe can help

your life. I feel guilty praying to anyone other than Him.



But I also don't really consider myself a Christian, I believe in God indefinitely but there are just some things Christianity cant give me the answer to. There are things being hidden and things that I don't know and will never know when it comes the truth behind Christianity, so instead of practicing a religion half way, I pray to the only for sure source there is, God.

Answer 7

the to God , which is true 7th.day Adventists and maybe others teach that praying to Mary is wrong as jesus is the only mediator . But Mary being the mother of the King of kings is following tradition . Go to the books of kings, as you say you read the bible and you will find that the mother of those kings are placed on the thrones to hear the pleas of the people . the wives are not invited . also luke 1:49 shows the verse "The almighty has done great things for me ." e.g , at the wedding feast of cana she pleads with Jesus to help at the shortage of wine . he did. Mary is not adored or worshipped , but is revered ,

Answer 8

The actual official Catholic position is that it is wrong to pray to Mary and that Catholic's don't do that. In fact if you look up the issue here on YA you'll see many Catholics making that point. I remember Christo actually writing.."just because I pray near to a statue of Mary no more means I'm praying to Mary than it means I'm praying to my bed when I pray at my bedside!"



It's fascinating to read some Catholics here arguing that they do pray to Mary (which is also ironic because Catholics often argue their unity demonstrates they are the only church of Christ).



The bible is very clear that we should not pray to Mary that much is clear and is the reason why the more educated Catholics deny they do. They claim they ask Mary to intercede for them and cite verses where we are told to pray for one another. They also point out that bible doesn't say this command is negated by death which on the surface is true.



However, Catholics get into a whole load of difficulty when you ask them a number of questions that reveal the truth of the matter....



1) If a million people pray for you rather than ten, is it more likely God will grant your petition?

2) If Mary prays for us (assuming she can) does it mean God is more likely to grant our petition?

3) Does asking Mary to pray for us increase or decrease the time we spend with God?

4) Does a relationship with Mary enhance or reduce the glory we can give to God?

5) Does the bible teach that we should speak to anyone who has passed into heaven?

6) What is the point of asking Mary when we can ask directly?





To remove any doubt the answers are definitively ...



1) No.. God doesn't change His mind no matter how many pray

2) No. God doesn't change His mind no matter who prays

3) Decrease... any moment thinking or asking Mary is a moment lost that could have been spent with God

4) Reduce.... if a pray through Mary is answered how can you not thank her and that thanks is exclusively Gods

5) No.. on the contrary the bible teaches that Christ alone is the mediator between God and man

6) There is no point asking Mary when we have direct access to God.



Furthermore the bibles instruction to pray for one another does not infer that this influences God in any way and therefore it's not the point. It's clear that the reason we should pray for one another runs with the command to bear with and help one another. It means if I pray for you on a particular issue I am there to support, guide and be with you in the issue that we present to God together not to change His mind but to seek His will. How is this possible with Mary?



Frankly the Catholic church has clearly deviated from the true path in many areas and yet claims to be THE church of Christ. Ironic given the history of immorality, greed, violence and hatred!



Update. I wonder if Catholics see the cognitive dissonance they have to endure when they argue the church is the ultimate authority. Jesus tells us that man cannot live by bread alone but there is something man can live alone with .... and it isn't the Catholic church!

Answer 9

Even though the Scriptures relate that Almighty God particularly blessed Mary by choosing her to be the mother of Jesus, however, I do not pray to her. The reasons being is that when the Gospel account of Luke records that one of Jesus’ disciples requested of him: “Lord, teach us how to pray.” In response, Jesus began: “Whenever you pray, say, ‘Father, let your name be sanctified.’” And during his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus likewise instructed his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.” (Luke 11:1, 2; Matthew 6:9) Therefore, from these scriptures I learned, then, is that prayer, or worshipful address, should be directed to Jesus’ Father, who is Jehovah. Nowhere does the Bible authorize us to pray to anyone else. This is appropriate since, as Moses was told when he received the Ten Commandments, Jehovah is “a God exacting exclusive devotion.” (Exodus 20:5) The fact that the Scriptures do not teach Christians to pray to Mary in no way implies a lack of respect for the role she played in the outworking of God’s purposes. The blessings that come through her Son will be to the eternal benefit of all obedient mankind. Yes, it was a wonderful privilege for Mary to be chosen to bear the Messiah. (Luke 1:42, 48, 49)

Answer 10

No that would be an abomination of a thing to do, Lying priests will tell you that they do not worship Mary! however Hail Mary's are worship, she is in Abrahams Bosom and unaware of any of our Prayers, she is not an intercessor as priests have suggested for many hundreds of years! Nowhere is this mentioned in The Holy Scriptures infact quite the reverse, she is held to be in the same esteem as the disciples, during Christ's walk with us!

Answer 11

What did Jesus say about Mary, his own mother?

Matthew 12:46-50

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Luke 11:27-28

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Let’s see what the scriptures say about……

1) Was Mary conceived free from original sin ? (Immaculate Conception) Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12

2) Did Mary live a sinless life? Luke 18:19, Romans 3:23, Revelation 15:4

3) Was Mary a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ? Matthew 1:25, Matthew 13:55-56, Psalm 69:8

4) Is Mary the Mother of God? John 2:1

5) Is Mary the Mother of the Church? Acts 1:14, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 27

6) Is Mary the Co-Redeemer? 1Peter 1:18-19

7) Is Mary the Co-Mediator? 1 Timothy 2:5, John 14:13-14, 1 Peter 5:7

8) Should we entrust ourselves to Mary at the hour of our death? Romans 10:13, Acts 4:12

9) Has God exalted Mary as the Queen of heaven and Earth? Psalm 148:13

10) Is Mary to be praised with special devotion? Exodus 20:3

Answer 12

Im a non denomination Christian. I just like to refer to myself as a believer. Praying to Mary is idoltry. Yes, she was a blessed women for giving birth to the Son of Man and King of Kings (Jesus). Shes just another soul like the rest of us. Mary cant answer your prayers. There is only one mediator between God and Man.



1 Timothy 2:5

Exodus 20:3-6

Jonah 2:8



Another thing Catholics do thats weird, is that they confess there sins to a man. Back before Jesus, if anyone wanted to talk to God you would have to have a high priest to interceed. Well when Jesus died for us, that veil was torn so we no longer have to go to a high priest because Jesus is the high priest. There is one mediator between God and man.



1 Timothy 2:5

Jeremiah 17:5



There is only one truth and its the Word of God. People in life may give you advice that "sounds good," but if it doesnt line up with the Word of God, DISMISS IT.



John 1:1

Romans 10:17

Answer 13

We are asking Mary to pray for us dear, we are not praying to her. Look at the scriptural rosary found online. It leads us through the life of Jesus. Are we not glad that Mary said yes! to Gods' plan of giving his Son to us?!

Answer 14

From what I read. Forgive my correction, I am trying to help you. It is "doctrine" which is what your talking about. Which is ironic, I am protestant verging on being Catholic and I was raised in a Protestant family. lol I think God is not listening to your prayers, because you are fighting with people you know. It is possible that someone you think you can trust or a group of people are blocking your prayers. Putting curses on you, lying to the town, etc. I found out some former teachers, co-workers, online friends, former friends, and students I used to know. Pretty much have been slandering me and cursing me at prayer group.



Then maybe you may have to go to church and worship God. So he knows you still love and respect him. I found out that is what has been happening to me since we moved further south. If Mary can't help you, like any Saint, she can't help you. But don't give up your faith in God. Go to church, take communion next time they have it. Repent and study your Bible, so you can reconnect with God and Christ. It doesn't have to be Catholic or Lutheran, but I would recommend almost any but Mormon, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Seventh Day, and FLDS. In my personal opinion, I hope God finds you and find yourself and get the help you need. Forgive your enemies and maybe all you need to do is help them and some of them will be your friends again or allies or at least not against you anymore. Okay, think about it.

Answer 15

The Marian culture in Christianity really probably derives from the opposition of early Christians in the Mediterranean to the very common goddess cults of the period, many involving ritualised sexual practices. The supposed 'virginity' of Mary was elevated in opposition by wrongly attributing to this description of Mary the notion of virgo intacta which the original word to describe her did not carry. The founders of Protestantism essentially proposed that no one needed an arbiter or intermediate with God, so praying to saints or the Mother of Jesus were unnecessary complications.

Answer 16

The problem with praying to Mary is that the Bible forbids it in 1 Timothy 2:5. The Bible says the ONLY go between is Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus lives to intercede for us but it does not say the same about Mary.



The Bible never even calls her sinless, she was a sinner like the rest of us and Jesus died for her sins as well.



In Isaiah 8:19 we are forbidden from praying to dead humans and that is exactly what you do when you pray to Mary. It is nothing less than ancestral worship



Jesus was the only one who rose from the dead. The rest are still dead physically, though their souls are in heaven



Please think about this, God is not pleased with you praying to another human. Jesus taught us to pray to the Father when He walked on earth and our prayers should be directed to the Father, the One with all the power and authority.



I pray that the Lord guides in the right path

Answer 17

No. The Catholics and Orthodox will tell you there's nothing wrong with praying to Mary. Most Protestants will tell you otherwise. Anglo-Catholics and High Lutherans kind of hold the middle ground. Ask Jesus to guide you into His truth. The central issue here is whether the Protestants are right about sola scriptura or whether tradition does play a part in theological truth.

Answer 18

Absolutely not! She was a blessed servant of the Lord and she is now resting from her work that was assigned to her here on earth. No where does it say that we must pray to her. It is Christ who we must come to in prayer and she would be saying the same if she were alive today. She would be upset if she knew people were worshipping her as the Catholics do. She knew the Truth.



Acts 4

10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.



12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”



1 Timothy 2:5

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

Answer 19

No. That's Catholic idolatry. Mary did not want you to make her into an Idol. God is the supreme being so you should pray to him, not Mary.

Answer 20

Well first of all, even though Mary gave birth to Jesus, the reason why we pray to Jesus is because he is God. Mary was still human, a creature created by God.



"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," (Rev. 19:10).



John wants to bow the knee and worship the angel. But the angel tells him not to do that because he is a fellow creature. If the angel says that he is a fellow creature like John and that John is not to bow to him, then neither should anyone else bow to an angel or any creature so as to offer worship. Worship includes prayer. Therefore, no one should pray to any created thing."



That section was from https://carm.org/praying-saints-biblical

Answer 21

No. Catholics say they pray to God for Mary but I'm not sure I believe that!

Answer 22

No, Im an ex catholic, now I'm a lutheran. We believe that praying to saints is considered idolatry. Because you are practically worshiping them by praying to them when in reality you are only supposed to pray to The Triune God and worship him.

Answer 23

BAll prayer is addressed to GOD the Father.

We pray in the name of Jesus the Son.

Our prayer is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Catholic tradition asks Mary & Saints to pray.

This is no different than asking friends to pray.

Answer 24

I am not Catholic, but I have been visiting Catholic Masses. I have learned how to sat the Rosary and that's the time when I pray to Mary--but it is intercession only. It is not worshiping someone to ask them to intercede with God for you. I say my real prayers to God the Father and to Jesus Christ.

Answer 25

The Gospel account of Luke records that one of Jesus’ disciples requested of him: “Lord, teach us how to pray.” In response, Jesus began: “Whenever you pray, say, ‘Father, let your name be sanctified.’” During his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus likewise instructed his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.” Luke 11:1, 2; Matthew 6:9



The first thing we learn, then, is that prayer, or worshipful address, should be directed to Jesus’ Father, who is Jehovah. Nowhere does the Bible authorize us to pray to anyone else. This is appropriate since, as Moses was told when he received the Ten Commandments, Jehovah is “a God exacting exclusive devotion.” Exodus 20:5

Answer 26

No, I pray to God! Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, but that doesn't raise her any higher than anybody else. Christians pray directly to God in the name of Jesus.

Answer 27

No. No Christian prays to Mary. Mary is repsected and adored as God's mother.

Answer 28

We can pray to Mary, just as we can pray to any Saint. We do not, however, worship The Virgin Mary. We worship God, and venerate Our Lady, and plead for Her intercession.

Answer 29

Mary was just a Christian believer that God chose to carry His child.

She was no different than any one else. That is why I don't pray to her.

Answer 30

You never learned that R _C do NOT pray

"TO" saints and Mary?



they are to ask for intersession. kind of like if you want to see the boss, you make and appointment through higher management.



Most ancient religions have "goddess" figures' Mary plays that role in the male world of Hebrew, Christian and Muslim belief.



there is some evidence that Jesus may have been married to mary magdalene but the st Paul group of the Christian believers substituted Mary the Mother a

"sexless virgin" to make Jesus a god instead of a human man.



Lots we were not taught in sunday school.

Answer 31

I don't identify with a denomination or Catholicism, but consider myself Christian nonetheless. I feel that God is the one true King and Father, so your prayers should go to him. He commands for us to have no idols before him, so I feel that to pray to Mary is to idolize her. You can respect and honor her, but I believe that praying to her is a step too far. God wants a personal relationship with us, and communication is essential to any relationship. Best wishes in exploring your faith! :)

Answer 32

God's word directs us to pray to Jehovah God and end the prayer in Christ Jesus name and that is how I pray. Mary was Jesus' mother but the bible never directs us to pray or even to worship her. We must worship only one and as stated at John 14:13,14 we must ask all things in Jesus name.

Answer 33

Why is Mary so different from the rest of us ? Even Mary stated she was a sinner like a rest of us. Luke 1:46, 47 "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Jesus taught us how to pray: Luke 11:1,2 " And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." Where is Mary in that verse ?

Answer 34

Never. I never prayed to Mary even when I grew up as a Catholic. Why would anyone want to pray to female who was a mortal human being or some silly statue? That is idol worship. She is not the mother of God. She was the mother of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

You pray to Almighty God and end the prayer in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. I never subscribed to the holy trinity either.

Answer 35

Yes, I do. I ask Mary to pray for me. I do not worship her, I do not idolize her, and I do not put her in God's place. I just ask her to pray for me. It's just like asking a person to pray for you.

Answer 36

Luke 11:27"Now as he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd called out to him: “Happy is the womb that carried you and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 But he said: “No, rather, happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!” Notice the woman suggests that Mary should above overs Jesus corrects her



JW.ORG

Answer 37

True Christians follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as shown in the Bible. On numerous occasions, Jesus directed his disciples to pray to his father that sent him. He also prayed to his father. In Matthew chapter 6, you can see that Jesus gave his disciples direction on what to include in their prayers to his father. Many people call this the Lord's prayer of the model prayer since Jesus was teaching how we should pray. There is absolutely no reference in the entire Bible that shows we should pray to anyone besides our grand creator Jehovah God. Jesus prayed to Jehovah and spent his life trying to help others learn about his father's promised kingdom that will be the solution to all of mankind's problems. For more information about how prayer benefits us, see www.jw.org. Best regards.

Answer 38

Yes. To pray is to ask, to plead. I revere Her as she was elevated to be is the Mother of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. In my human mind, she is closest to God. I worship God, and I pray to God directly. I pray to Mary to intercede for me, those close to me and all humanity, the living and the departed, including those who deny Her elevated status. I also pray to all the saints and to my ancestors to intercede for me, together with Mary, and to Mary to hear them. Yes! I pray to Mary! And God loves it! So, if you do not believe any of this, just don't do it.

Answer 39

As a Protestant myself, I think it is perfectly acceptable to Pray to Jesus through Mary. It is possible for any Christian of any church to do this if they wish. Those who deny this basic Christian and thus Human right are not being fare on themselves or others.



Let me give you an example. Edith Piaf prayed to Jesus on a daily basis at her Church in Paris and sometimes Notre Dame with the help of a French saint. This is common for millions of Catholics and I personally cannot see anything wrong with it.



I would like you to think of it like this. I was recently working in the English city of Salisbury with an African friend (a Protestant Christian) - we walked past a local church named after Saint Thomas Becket. I was astonished to hear him say he had never heard of Becket - the most revered saint of England from before Thomas More.



The Church of England, which is a broad church, has never forgotten Thomas Becket,



If you go to the West of England to parts of Devon and especially Cornwall (Kernow) the people their pray to their local Celtic Saints and even hold well dressing ceremonies which must go back to before Christianity here in England.



I know you'll like this it brought me to realize just how much we owe Mary when it comes to praying to Jesus.

But first always remember that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had to leave Israel/Palestine and go to Egypt - they became refugees fleeing an unimaginable terror just as are the refugees of today an in my childhood after WW2.



Kimmy Scota of Cape Town SA - The Rainbow Nation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VgqlUrleQE



Now for the Christians of Egypt - these same people actually chanted the name of Jesus for over ten minutes at their Christmas gathering some years back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnXJ7IWH3PU



The first thing you notice about the Egyptian Coptic Christians is the happy smiles on their faces. Jesus is actually in the room with them.



Jesus Christ in Egypt.





Jesus with you always - Happy New Year from London England

Answer 40

No, and neither did the first century Christians.

The apostle Peter makes no mention of her at all in his inspired writings. The apostle Paul did not use her name in his inspired letters but spoke of her only as “a woman.”—Gal. 4:4.



Catholic reference works freely admit that worship of Mary does not go back to apostolic times. The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

“Devotion to Our Blessed Lady in its ultimate analysis must be regarded as a practical application of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. Seeing that this doctrine is not contained, at least explicitly, in the earlier forms of the Apostles’ Creed, there is perhaps no ground for surprise if we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus [worship] of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christian centuries.”

The original Nicene Creed (325 C.E.) makes no mention of the “Virgin Mary.” It was not until the Council of Ephesus, held in 431 C.E., that Mary was defined in Catholic dogma as the “Mother of God” (Greek: Theotokos, literally “God-bearer”). And even then, this was more for Trinitarian reasons (to combat Nestorius, who denied that Jesus was brought forth God-Man) than to encourage devotion to Mary. Why this lack of attention to the devotion to Mary?

Because the practice is based, not on the Bible, but on Apocryphal literature, such as the so-called “Gospel of St. James” and the Sibylline Oracles. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, it was only in the later Middle Ages, after the year 1000, “that the deep feeling of love and confidence in the Blessed Virgin, which hitherto had expressed itself vaguely and in accordance with the promptings of the piety of individuals, began to take organized shape in a vast multitude of devotional practices.” It was at that time that many of the medieval Gothic cathedrals throughout France were built and dedicated to Notre Dame (Our Lady).

As to the “Angelic Salutation” (Ave Maria, or Hail Mary), A Catholic Dictionary informs us that “Parts 1 and 2 seem to have come into common use as a formula of devotion towards the end of the twelfth century; . . . the rest of the verse is believed to have first come into use in the middle of the fifteenth century.” Very late indeed!

Answer 41

The most important thing about prayer is the address. To pray to Mary is to pray to a human and is, therefore, according to scripture, a vain, worthless, unheard prayer. I'm glad you are reading the Bible. Keep reading it. Every time someone attempted to worship an angel the angel corrected them and said, "Only God is to be worshipped."



You will also encounter verses such as this:



1 Timothy 2:5: For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus



Acts 4:12: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.



Remember, at Christ's death the veil in the temple which separated the "holy of holies" was torn. That signified man now had direct access to God. Christ is our Savior and mediator. You need a relationship with Him, the Son of God, not with the highly-honored human who gave birth to Him on earth. Consider this line from Mary's own song:



Luke 1:47: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior



You see here that Mary proclaimed she needed a Savior, too -- just like the rest of us. Pray to the Savior!

Answer 42

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. holy Mary mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen



I look at this as a petition to Mary to pray for us, not really praying to her.



I am also Catholic. I was raised in the church but broke away at age 15 or so. From ages 19 to 31 I went to an Evangelical non-denominational church. I may have been there for 12 years but I never felt I fit in. I recently returned to the Catholic church and I feel more at home there.



The things I don't believe in that the Catholic church does are purgatory and that Mary was born without original sin. I don't believe in purgatory because Christ died for all my sin, so why should I go to Purgatory to pay for my own sins. And I don't believe Mary had to be born sinless in order to give birth to Christ. Those differences aside I still go to Catholic church, mainly because I believe in the Eucharist. Christ said in John chapter 6, " If you don't eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, you shall have no part in me." I believe this is a direct reference to Holy Communion. Also at the last supper Christ said, " This is my body....this is my blood". "IS" literally not simply in rememberence of him but the bread and wine are literally Christ.

Answer 43

As a Gentile I can only go to Heaven through the Grace of God which is Jesus Christ. As for Mary she is Holy because she is the mother of Jesus but is not divine.

Answer 44

No, I do not pray to Mary, because the Bible book of Hebrews speaks of a person that “approaches God.” (Hebrews 11:6) Who is this God? There is but one almighty God, though there are many man-made and false gods. (1 Corinthians 8:5, 6) The almighty God of the Bible is named Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18) He is the Creator of all things, and for this reason prayer should be directed only to him. Jesus Christ clearly taught his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens.” (Matthew 6:9) No, Jesus did not teach his disciples to pray to him, to his mother Mary, or to any other person. But God now requires that we recognize the position of his Son and offer all our prayers in Jesus’ name. That is why Christ told his followers: “No one comes to the Father except through me.”—John 14:6. For prayers to be acceptable to God, then, they must be addressed to Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ. That is, they must be said to God in the name of Jesus.

Answer 45

No. Like Jesus, Christians pray only to the Father, not to anyone else. -Matthew 4:10; 6:9.

Answer 46

Yes, I do pray to Mary.



I'm in the process of becoming Catholic, (just waiting for the Easter Vigil!), and now I say a Hail Mary every morning and every night.



It's great that you're reading the Bible more. But don't fall for "Scripture Alone", which is a Protestant idea that is demonstrably false. Scripture Alone is not found anywhere in Scripture, but logically if it's true it would have to be. So "Scripture Alone" is self-defeating.



Remember that the Catholic Church complied the Bible. And the Bible didn't come with a table of contents, so the only way you can know you have the right books in the Bible is the Catholic Church. (Also, only Catholics have the complete Bible. Protestants ripped out seven books because they conflicted with their theology).



Check out Catholic Answers. They are a great resource if you want to know how we know Catholicism is true:

http://www.catholic.com



Also:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l54KjrSCuao



.

Answer 47

As an orthodox Christian- I do ask the saints for their prayers.

a few things you should remember when reading the Bible-

1. The official canon of the New Testament was selected by Christians in the 4th century before then the local bishops selected the books for their own dioces

2. The protestants who claim they use nothing but the Bible removed books from the Christian canon of the OT- they say it is because our OT differs from the Jewish one- but if they were consistant with this argument then they should accept the modern Jewish view of the Messiah.

Answer 48

You know the Ten Commandments, "I am the Lord your God, thou shalt have no other gods before me". That's pretty plain isn't it? Besides, the Catholics pray, "Holy Mary mother of God", how can God have a mother and if Mary is His mother, wouldn't that make Mary a higher being than God?

Answer 49

Yes.



Catholics are Christians.



Praying to Mary is to ask for her intercession. Prayer isn't worship, it is the vehicle for communication with the supernatural. We can ask all Christians, on earth and in heaven, to pray for us. Mary is one of them.



It's important that you read scripture. St. Jerome tells us that ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ. What you have to be careful of is "assuming" that what you think you understand is true. Just because you read something doesn't mean you have the ability to infallibly interpret it or understand it. The Bible is not an English document, it was written in an ancient language and inspired by God. The divine truths within are multi-layered and faceted. The ancient Hebrew Rabbis (and even Rabbis of today) spend days, years and a lifetime, studying the scriptures and continue to learn and understand as truths are revealed.



Jesus gave us the Church for this purpose. To provide the divine truth, that cannot be changed. Our personal interpretations can be blurred by biases, life experiences, translation errors, etc. and can change the understanding of a divine truth. The Church is here to help guide us and keep us on the straight and narrow.



As flawed human beings, we tend to be easy on ourselves. If we want to justify a particular sin, we can twist verses to fit our beliefs rather than fit our beliefs to God's truth. That is the danger. So read scripture, but in light of Catholic teaching, not based on your own thoughts and assumptions.

Answer 50

The bible say:

Exodus 20:2-6 ESV

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me."



How can you then pray to Mary, or for that matter, even to Jesus. Even if you think Mary and Jesus are gods, did not the verses say: “You shall have NO OTHER GODS before me."

Answer 51

I agree and I'm 15, but I have to be Catholic. I don't have a choice. But I don't feel like it is go to pray to Mary. I feel like it's praying to an idol and not God himself.

Answer 52

No, because Mary is not God nor Jesus and we are taught by Jesus himself to pray THROUGH him.



It is great you are reading the bible and soon enough you should find that Mary was chosen because of her faith, to bare Jesus, the son of God.



I was raised a Catholic, but only when Jehovah's Witnesses came into my life, did I start to understand what truth faith is all about.

Answer 53

Mary Jesus Christ Isaac Moses paul mohammad Buddha imam ali and all other humans are human.

you should pray to the creator of them not to his creature.

of course you can talk to them and request help from go through them, not to pray them.

Answer 54

Yes, we do pray thru St Mary as if there is no tomorrow. Jesus obeyed His mother even it is NOT time yet.

Answer 55

I use to pray to god, not to mary

Answer 56

Christ showed us by example how and to whom we should pray - it is To The Father in Christ's name. NOT TO Mary or any other 'person'. I was raised catholic too - but it was NOT the right religious place for me and I found TRUTH for myself elsewhere...... "Our Father who art in heaven"..... ending in The Name of Jesus CHrist Amen is how I believe we ought to pray.

Answer 57

The Bible consistently teaches that we should pray only to God, doing so in the name of Jesus Christ. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” Jesus said. “No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, Catholic Jerusalem Bible) Those unambiguous words harmonize with Jesus’ teaching recorded at Matthew 6:9-13. While explaining the subject of prayer, Jesus said to his followers: “You must pray, then, this way: Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. . . .” (Matthew 6:9) Clearly, our heavenly Father is the only one to whom we should address our prayers. This truth rests on a fundamental Bible principle.

Answer 58

Jesus Christ said: “You should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, . . . ’” So prayers are to be addressed to the Father. Jesus also said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it.” (Matt. 6:9; John 14:6, 14, JB) Thus Jesus ruled out the idea that anyone else could fill the role of intercessor. The apostle Paul added regarding Christ: “He not only died for us—he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.” “He is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.” (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25, JB) If we truly want our prayers to be heard by God, would it not be wise to approach God in the way that his Word directs?

Answer 59

No, when teaching his followers the model prayer he did not mention Mary nor did he teach his disciples to use Mary as a channel by which to speak to God.

Answer 60

Yes Mary has helped me so much with things down through the years, She is my mother and I love her. I have so much to be thankful for to her she has been their for me and I ling for the day I can hug her for being there. For me personally the Catholic faith holds the fullness of truth which comes from Jesus. Only at mass is Jesus present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity during the consecration...heaven and earth unite and Jesus is giving us his greatest gift.

Answer 61

If one believes in God, then it only stands to reason that the bible is the only source of contact with Him. We should look to it for guidance on any matter.



The bible does not support the elevation of Mary to any position of authority or esteem. Jesus said that no one should be elevated over any other person. Would that not include Mary? The bible does not suggest that she was anything other than a human being who was privileged to be selected as the woman to give birth to Jesus.



There is no support either for the idea that she remained a virgin after marrying Joseph. The bible says he did not know her UNTIL after she had Jesus. The bible says that he had four brothers and at least two sisters. Why should anyone try to persuade others that it really means they were cousins? Or that Joseph had children before he married Mary. If he did, why were they not at the birth of Jesus? Did God exclude them? They were there for a census. Would his children not have been with them to be counted as well?



Mary is not given much prominence in the bible. Twice she made a request of Jesus and he all but turned her down.



Jesus taught us to pray to God, not to anyone else. The bible tells us that when God appointed Jesus the king of the kingdom of heaven he gave Jesus authority over all things except the ability to hear and answer prayer. He kept that for Himself.



So to pray to anyone else, including Jesus, would be idolatry.



The bible also tells us that the dead are dead. Period. They have no consciousness and they cannot communicate with the living. They will remain in their graves until such time as they are resurrected.



So how would you talk to them or expect them to put in a good word with God on your behalf? By attempting to do so, you are deliberately going against the bible's teaching. Is that not rebellion against God? Is that the attitude of a Christian?



I realize that the CC teaches (and the Protestants as well ) that when you die, you go to heaven or hell but the bible does not teach this.



There is no place in the bible where God offers man the opportunity to go to heaven nor is there anyplace where He threatens anyone with eternal torture. What He offered was life or death. Genesis 2:16,17.

If Adam had not eaten the fruit, where would he be now?



That you have an extra part that is immortal is a lie told by Satan, not God. Genesis 3:4.



Hell as a place of torment is a pagan myth, not taught in the bible The word hell is a mistranslation of the old Hebrew sheol and the Greek hades, both of which mean simply, grave.



It is a serious matter to come to the conclusion that something you have believed in for years may be wrong and it is very difficult to give it up. However if you want a good relationship with God then you must seek the truth and accept it where ever you find it because He has said that He will not be worshiped any other way, than by the truth.



"This means everlasting life, their getting to know you, the one true God and the one you sent forth, Jesus Christ." John 17:3.



Not by going to church. Not by being baptised, Not by accepting Jesus as your savior. Knowledge.



I have given you some things to think about. You will have more questions as you read further. If you cannot find the answers, go to jw.org.for the accurate answer from the bible You need to look up the scripture in your own bible and not trust anyone but yourself to prove the truth to you.



One last point to consider. We are not people who decided one day, to start our own religion. We are people who seeing the flaws in the churches we attended, came across the commandment at Revelation 18:4 and obeyed it. God likens man made religions to a whore. He never asked for or proposed the circumstances under which they exist. False religion has caused every human death that has ever happened. Starting with Adam and Eve. God has ordered us out of them. 8,000,000 of us have heeded that warning.



You are on the right path. Keep reading and thinking about what you read. Let us know if we can help you.



Jehovah's witness.

Answer 62

The Cult of the Virgin dates back to the Middle Ages, when the church was at its height; and it goes back even further to the virgin goddesses Artemis and Athena. Thus your prayers to Mary are at the center of a time-honored spiritual tradition. Only the coarsest peasants would scorn it.

Answer 63

No, praying to Mary would be a form of worshiping a false god, strictly forbidden in the Christian religion.

Answer 64

When you ask "Do you pray...", the first thing that needs to be cleared up is:

WHAT KIND OF PRAYER ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?



I think that there is fairly universal agreement that SUPPLICATIVE prayer to Mary or any other saint is wrong!



The Bible reveals many types of prayers and employs a variety of words to describe the practice.

For example, 1 Timothy 2:1 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” Here, all four of the main Greek words used for prayer are mentioned in one verse.



There is also:

Prayer of worship (these focus on who God is, rather than the "what God has done" of thanksgiving),

Prayer of consecration,

Prayer of imprecation,



Do you ever ask any friends, family, or clergy to pray for you? THIS IS INTERCESSORY PRAYER.



Praying to Mary and the saints is the same principle i.e.; asking Mary and the saints to pray to God for us.



What is an RC "Hail Mary" actually asking?

"Holy Mary, Mother of God PRAY FOR US SINNERS..."

The same holds for prayers to the saints; we are merely asking another to pray for us.



The Protestant churches are very fuzzy about people between the instant they die and the final judgement:

are they conscious or in limbo or in stasis or what?



Orthodox Christians have the concept of The Church Militant (the living) and The Church Triumphant (those who have died in the faith).



We ask fellow Christians of both the Church Militant AND the Church Triumphant to pray for us.

Protestants only ask members of the Church Militant to pray for them.



Not asking for prayers from all of those fellow Christians seems to me to be a terrible waste of resources!



What do adults often say to children about a dead loved one?

"S/he is an angel now"?

It would be more correct to say: "S/he is a SAINT now."



If you want to do an in depth investigation, I would suggest that you read the Desert Fathers and the Church Fathers -- preferably under the supervision of your spiritual guide, rather than haphazardly rambling through the Bible on your own.

Answer 65

Nope...Mary was a vessel no different than the Raven that feed Elijah...God created them both for a purpose and BOTH fulfilled their purpose....do you pray to the Ravens ???

Answer 66

No

I believe that Paul is correct in his instruction to Timothy; that there is only one intercessor between man and God - Jesus.



While Mary is esteemed for being the chosen instrument of God, she is not one to be prayed to.

Did not Christ's death tear down the curtain between man and God?

Is it not written that we can now approach God ourselves?

Is not Jesus our High Preist?

Answer 67

Why would I do that? Mary is in heaven. She can't hear prayers anymore than my grandmother in heaven can.

Answer 68

The Bible states simply in Psalm 65:2 That God is the hearer of pray. So the answer is no.

Answer 69

The catholics adopted the babylonian queen of heavens and mother goddess (just google for illustrations) as Mary in their false doctrine.



Jesus told us we must pray to NO ONE except Jehovah God through his son, Jesus Christ and thats what JWs do. It is wrong to pray to anyone else, including Jesus. Jehovah only is called the hearer of prayer.



The catholic religion is totally corrupt and pagan and part of the great "Whore of Babylon" that the Bible says we should remove ourselves from (world false religions).



The Bible tells us not to call any man spiritiual father on earth yet there we have the demi god, pope (or papa) as holy father and hundreds of thousands of lesser "fathers". Absolutely anti God.



The catholics make hundreds of demi gods or saints every year - how pagan can you get? Latest one is "saint" theresa, because "someone with a tumour put a photo of her on their stomach and prayed to her and was cured". (The womans doctor has said it was merely a cyst he was treating her for). Can you take seriously a religion full of such superstitious nonsense?

Answer 70

Yes

Answer 71

"Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!" (Koran)

 

Answer 72

Go with what gives you comfort. No need to try to use logic or to puzzle over this as religion is not about truth and logic but just emotional belief

Answer 73

No. Mary is human. Jesus come to connect us back with God. Jesus is the good Shepherd. Jesus is our high priest in heaven. Jesus interceeds on our behalf. God appointed Jesus to judge the world at the end of days

Answer 74

Nope. Why?



1 Timothy 2:5 ~ For there is one God+ and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus,

Answer 75

Mary deserves the honor that one gives to a righteous HUMAN woman. She is mother of Jesus human side. God Himself is Father of His Spirit. He came to die for our sins and be our advocate. He is our High Priest. We need no other.



1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:



http://www.joel2army.simplesite.com



http://www.ufosarereal.simplesite.com

Answer 76

It is good that you are reading the Bible. You are imitating the prophet Ezra who, according to Ezra 7:10, determined in his heart to (1) consult the law of God; (2) to practice it; and (3) to teach it to others. It is in the word of God that Christians learn how to pray. We read that prayers ought to be offered up to God alone in the name of Jesus. If you are praying to Mary, does it seem to you that you are offering your prayers to God? If you are asking Mary to intercede on your behalf with Jesus so that Jesus can hear your prayers, are you praying to God? Or are you instead offering prayers to someone who is inferior to God? The Bible calls God the hearer of prayer. Psalm 65:2. But Mary is not described in such a manner. Neither is anyone else.



Here is something that may be a new thought to you: If Mary has the authority to intercede on our behalf, she must be Holy indeed! She must be a mediatrix of sorts. But if that is so, then Mary is too holy for us to pray to her without someone to intercede. So who shall intercede with Mary on our behalf? And whoever that person is must be holy indeed as well! Who will intercede on our behalf with that person so that they can intercede on our behalf with Mary so she can intercede on our behalf with Jesus?



If I want my prayers to be heard, it is vital that I approach the hearer of prayer in the way he has outlined. For this reason, no, I do not pray to Mary. I pray to the true God – letting my petitions be known in the name of his Son, Christ Jesus.



Hannah J Paul

Answer 77

Why would need to when Jesus said I Am the Truth the Life The Way and no one comes to the Father except through Me

Answer 78

No, I don't want to get to heaven and Mary smack me upside the head for my idolatrous thoughts of her.

Answer 79

Isn't that idol worship? False deity worship? Isn't she just a human soul now I mean she couldn't be part of the holy trinity.

Answer 80

I used to pray to God, until my Dad passed away. Now my Dad is my high power.

Answer 81

Of course. She's the Mother of God and deserves to be prayed to.

Answer 82

yes mary was the mother of God's Son.

Answer 83

no but us catholics do ask her to pray for us to literally pray to her or worship her as only we should do for god is complete idolatry most catholics are aware of this one that isn't is very confused

Answer 84

I am not a member of ANY church. Suggest you check the United, [NOT Uniting] Church of God in your nation. They are available, via phone, online, mail, phone and email. Mention them as they are very accurate in Bible knowledge; their booklets, programs etc are all free. May God go with you!

Answer 85

Psalms 65:2 tells us who the hearer of prayer is. Yahweh or Jehovah is the only one.

Answer 86

Yes.

In the same manner that she had intervened at the marriage of Kana, I believe she would intercede for us if we pray to her.

Answer 87

I do not only because I am a protestant Christian.



What is most important for Catholics and Protestants alike is what do we believe about Jesus Christ and how do we live and preach his message.

Answer 88

Jesus taught us how to pray to god. Not another human person.

Answer 89

no I don't, I pray to God in Jesus's name.

Answer 90

No, and I don't believe she got pregnant by some "mystical being" up in the sky !

Answer 91

No I'm not a Catholic

Answer 92

I don't. I did when I went to catholic school in middle school but now I know it's wrong

Answer 93

Nope. God. I'm Christian. So I pray to God.

Answer 94

hi josef. you can gain enlightenment and discernment by reciting the holy rosary several times a week or daily.

Answer 95

You're darn tootin!

Answer 96

No. Jesus did not single out his mother for any special honor, nor did he ever tell his followers to do so.

Answer 97

Hey wait a minute! Which version of the bible are you talking about?

Answer 98

I pray only to H'Shem B 'G-D.

Answer 99

No. She can't hear me. Only God can hear and answer prayers.

Answer 100

nope i dont pray to any ficticious person

Answer 101

“I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. You must not have any other gods against my face. You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me; but exercising loving-kindness toward the thousandth generation in the case of those who love me and keep my commandments.”—Ex. 20:1-6.



Those first two of the Ten Commandments identify by name a God who is without equal, a God whose record is not matched by that of any so-called “god,” not even Satan the Devil, himself, “the god of this system of things.” Satan the Devil allows for idolatrous images to be made even of himself and of “gods” associated with him. But the God whose name is Jehovah strictly forbids the making of any image to represent him and forbids any other idolatrous image to be associated with the worship of Him. He cannot be compared to any created thing, to any man-made image. By another prophet who came after Moses, he said: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images.”—Isa. 42:8.



This divine declaration calls for exclusive devotion toward Jehovah as God and bars the use of all man-made images to which a relative worship is given. Because of his invisibility men may think that He needs images to be made to help worshipers in directing their attention toward Him. But such images would only be a lie, unable to picture Him as he really is. They would be really distracting the worshiper and cheapening God in the estimation of the worshiper. The one living and true God can never be represented by a lifeless created image. He does not associate himself with any self-made gods and his true worshipers must have ‘no other gods against his face,’ as sharers with him in real godship. He demands the exclusive devotion of his worshipers, and because of this he may be said to be “a jealous God.” Like it or not, all his intelligent creatures will be required to render exclusive devotion to him if they want to live happily forever. For this reason, the holders of political power today may borrow from Pharaoh’s language and ask, “‘Who is Jehovah,’ so that all should worship him?”

Answer 102

yeah, I pray to Mary, curse at Mary, and pound on her door. "turn down your music", please.

Answer 103

Yes, try http://help-me-mother-mary.blogspot.my/

Answer 104

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7XFwlLA9lE

Answer 105

No, I am a follower of Jesus.

Answer 106

huh

Answer 107

Personally I rarely ask the blessed mother of God to intercede for me. Being a former Protestant I am just not accustomed to ask for her intercession. But I do pray for the intercession of Saints as the Bible teaches and do occasionally ask for the blessed mothers intercession.



First of all it is disingenuous to state that the practice of praying for each other has no biblical foundation, we are instructed in Scripture to have a prayer life for others as it is part of God’s commandment to love one another.



(2Co 5:8 DRB) But we are confident and have a good will to be absent rather from the body and to be present with the Lord.



The Catholic Church does not teach that it is absolutely necessary for one to ask for the intercession of saints for salvation. The Church does teach that prayer to God is necessary for salvation for all believers. For a Catholic it would be wrong to ignore the liturgical worship offered to God at feast days for the saints and the prayers asking for their intercession.



The Communion of Saints is a dogma of the ancient Church and is recorded in the apostles Creed. It simply states that the faithful because of their relationship with Christ are alive even after the death of their flesh and worship with us. To us the Church is made up of the Church militant who represents all those believers living out their hope in the flesh.



(Phi 2:12 DRB) Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but much more now in my absence) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.



(Phi 2:13 DRB) For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will.



It consists of the Church Suffering who are those who are temporarily in need of further purgation from sin so that they may enjoy the presence of God.



(2Ma 12:46 DRB) It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.



Lastly, the Communion of the Saints consists of those who have won the race:



(Phi 3:14 DRB) I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.



Their immortal souls are in heaven in God’s presence:



(Rev 5:8 DRB) And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.



The universal stream connecting all of God’s creation is His love, which we take on in our baptism into our journey towards sanctification. This is not an emotional but a desire placed in us by the Spirit of God that endures as a desire for those other than ourselves and this love extends even to our enemies. This is truly a love that comes only from God and is a foreign concept and nonsense to those who have not received God’s salvific grace. This desire within our souls does not end with the death of our flesh but continues into eternity where the saints through their intercession in prayer encourage us in our race and assist us to endure unto our union with God.



I think that some people of faith, who do not understand the Communion of Saints, somehow believe that asking saints to pray for us is detracting from our love or our trust in God. In truth it is impossible, if we truly love as God commands and has given us the grace to understand, not to pray to those whom we love and in turn we expect them to return that same love to us by praying for us and presenting our prayers to God.



In Christ

Fr. Joseph

Answer 108

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgAyRCK9y9A

Answer 109

No

Answer 110

No

Answer 111

No

Answer 112

No

Answer 113

No

Answer 114

No

Answer 115

No. Not at all.

Answer 116

No, Mary's a human and needed saving too. She gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ, and she is indeed blessed and honourable... but it doesn't mean she is above other Christians. She was chosen as a vessel and we too are vessels of God. The Catholic Church embraces the lies that Mary was immaculately conceived and that she ascended into Heaven without dying but that is because they want to place her on the same level as God.



Revelation chapter 12 speaks of a woman who is described as being clothed with the sun, having the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of 12 stars. Examination of the scriptures will show that this woman is not Mary but actually the nation of Israel. The 12 stars refer to the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 37:9-11).Since the Lord Jesus Christ came from Israel it can be said that Israel birthed Him (Revelation 12:5). To escape the Antichrist (who Satan will use to try to destroy Israel) at Mid-Tribulation when he sets up the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27), the woman (Israel) will flee into the wilderness (Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-21) where she will be nourished for the rest of the Tribulation – a period of 3 and 1/2 years or 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6, 14). The woman on the beast in Revelation 17 is also another personification and she represents the diabolic One World Religion that will be established during the Tribulation.



Centuries ago, titles used for Isis (the pagan deity of darkness, witchcraft and chaos) by her devotees such as “Mother of God”, “Queen of Heaven” and “Ocean Star” were given to Mary, and Isis and Horus temples were converted to Mary and Jesus temples.



“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:18-19).



The Queen of Heaven is mentioned four times in Jeremiah 44 and this chapter tells us that God’s wrath and punishment fell on the Israelites because they were worshipping the Queen of Heaven as well as other gods.



“Queen of Heaven”, “Ocean Star”, “Mother of God” and “Star of the Sea” are titles given to the demon Isis by her devotees. “Mediatrix of All Graces”, “Queen of Peace” and “Queen of the Rosary” are also false titles for Mary and if you call her by these titles you will upset her and provoke God.



As for the entity who appeared to the visionaries in Medjugorje, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Aparecida and Fatima and claimed to be a protector and mediator between persons and God, and requested Feast Days to be held in her honour and the daily chanting of the Rosary, it could have never been Mary the humble and blessed servant of God who birthed our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that evil spirits can appear as benevolent beings.



The Rosary was introduced by Peter the Hermit, in the year 1090. This has been copied from Hindus and Mohammedans. The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ (Matthew 6:5-13). Also, Mary is not the mediator between people and God. The Lord Jesus Christ the second person of the Holy Trinity is the true mediator between human beings and God.



“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5).



Also, praying to the deceased is strictly forbidden!



Deuteronomy 18:10-11

There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,



The following verses show that the Lord Jesus Christ does the will of God and not the will of Mary.



While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46-50).



In the above verses we see that although Mary wanted to see Jesus, He didn't go to her right away but continued preaching. It is plain to see that the Lord Jesus Christ does the will of God and not the will of Mary. Also, Lord Jesus who is the second person of the Godhead (the Holy Trinity) points out that He has several mothers, sisters and brothers. Lord Jesus is related to all those who do the will of God. So, are you part of God’s family or are you incurring God’s wrath through false beliefs and sinful practices?



REDEMPTION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH



Because mankind is incapable of meeting God’s standard of perfection necessary to abide in God’s presence (Romans 3:19-20,23), God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the total debt for the believer’s sins and mercifully credits to his account Christ’s righteousness (Romans 3:21-28,5:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Jesus’ gracious act of atonement was complete and covers all sin (Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 1:9). Salvation is not based on good deeds but according to the mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5). Believers are justified by faith; it is a gift by God’s grace (Romans 4:3-8; Ephesians 2:8-9). A true, living faith will result in a desire to live a holy, loving life of good works (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26), but failure to be absolutely successful at righteous living does not negate the believer’s justified status.



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Answer 117

Sure, why not?

Answer 118

no

Answer 119

no

Answer 120

No.

Answer 121

NO